Interview/ Vijay Singhal, managing director, City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO)
Q/ How is land acquisition being done for the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) city project?
The land acquisition model here is participatory. We are giving 40 per cent land back to [landowners] after development. Of the 60 per cent with us, only 15 per cent will be used for growth centres. Rest of the land will go for either roads or green spaces.
Q/ What will be the cost of developing this entire city?
Our preliminary estimate is Rs25,000 to Rs30,000 crore. But this may go up. Road works amounting to Rs8,000 crore have been awarded. Then there is river beautification and development of social facilities. So it could be more than Rs30,000 crore.
But when this infrastructure is developed, we would start selling plots. Some companies will have their headquarters. There will be amphitheatres, malls, shopping complexes and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) centres.
So we will be able to generate money. This model is self sustainable.
Q/ Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has talked about an education city. Is it also part of NAINA?
Education city is a different project. It was the chief minister’s vision. It will have educational institutes of foreign origin; at least 10 foreign universities in one place.
The idea was, why not have these educational institutes here rather than have our children go abroad? Why not have foreign universities here providing world-class education at one-third of the price?
For the education city, 100 hectares in our possession have already been earmarked.
It is in the 3-4km radius of the international airport, adjoining the national highway, and within 10-15 minutes of the aerocity. It will also be just about 20 minutes from the upcoming international corporate park at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai.
We are also coming up with a medi-city on 100 acres. And there will be an 18-hole golf course spread over 100 hectares.
Five LOIs (letters of intent) have already been given—[from] the University of Aberdeen, the University of York, the University of Western Australia and the University of Bristol; there will also be an Italian design institute.
We are also in talks with Oxford and Berkeley.
Q/ The chief minister also spoke about global capability centres (GCCs).
GCCs are also one of the things we are focusing a lot on. The government has already earmarked land for it. We are also trying to find land within the CIDCO area.
Q/ Could you tell us more about the infrastructure development in the region?
We are coming up with a new metro that will connect both the Navi Mumbai airport and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The proposal has already gone to the cabinet. The metro will connect to the rest of the metros in Mumbai. We are also developing the Thane-Navi Mumbai International Airport Road.
The difference between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai is that Navi Mumbai is planned, and has more open space, play areas and greenery. Third Mumbai will be bigger and better.
The concept of medi-city is to have world-class facilities in one place. It will not be just one hospital. There will be medical college, cluster of hospitals, nursing centres and wellness centres. Some of the land for this has been acquired; some are in the process of being acquired. Just like world-class universities, we want to bring world-class hospitals, too.
We have earmarked approximately 95-100 hectares. Half of it is in possession. Acquisition is also on for a sports city. We are in talks with renowned consultants to develop the sports city.
Q/ There was some talk about international corporate parks.
We are coming up with an international corporate park at Khargar. It will be like a new BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex), spread across 155 hectares, near the golf course.
Like in BKC, you will see corporate houses to high-end residential buildings. The Jio World Convention Centre is also there.
Q/ How will you take care of water supply for a city of this scale?
We have already planned the water supply for the next 30 years. At Hetwane Dam, water supply augmentation has already started. Work amounting to Rs3,000 crore is already going on. It will be completed by 2028-2029.
The Balganga Dam had some issues earlier, but they have now been resolved. That will have a capacity of the around 250mld (million litres per day).
There will be a third dam—Kondhane Dam—which will have a capacity of 350mld. Work order worth Rs1,300 crore has already been issued. It will be completed in four years.
Q/ So this new city is likely to be bigger than Mumbai itself.
This will be much bigger than what Mumbai is right now, and I would say much better planned. It is spread over 344sqkm in Uran, Panvel and Pen tehsils. This is the fastest growing city at present.